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Microsoft acquires Zenimax/Bethesda

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tryDEATH

tryDEATH

Member
The Hate said:
lol okjan.gif
Has nintendo been left behind? They have exclusive titles especially all of them are on their own platform unlike how some of sony's are on pc and how is nintendo doing by the way? Didnt a system that came out years later already lap the xbox? Whats one of thee highest selling games this year and generation? Was it Animal Crossing?
Its seems like Sony and Nintendo are doing EXTREMELY well especially money wise, the only one moving goal posts is MS trying to make themselves sound good whilst failing miserably.
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Don't bring Nintendo into this as they are in their own isolated and completely separate eco-system, since the Xbox and Playstation started dueling it out. They didn't even try to compete and went their won way, which doesn't apply to Sony at all.

You are the only one moving goalposts as it doesn't suit your narrative anymore. As I said Xbox is taking gaming into the future like it or not and Sony just isn't.

Sony is sounding very much like Blockbuster now when Netflix started to rise. They were too proud and arrogant to acknowledge and accept where the industry is heading, because they have always done it the traditional way and expect it to stay that way.
 
N

NoMoChokeSJ

Banned
MrMephistoX said:
I’m buying both consoles eventually but it’s a tough decision for MS. If they want to sell as many game pass subs as possible and boost hardware sales it makes sense. But I wonder if the lost revenue by excluding the PlayStation audience makes it a wash?
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I don't think the biggest games will stay exclusive, at least not initially. But having access to them via gamepass for $15 a month vs dropping $70 a game could be a very tempting offer for some. Now if this drives their subscription base way up then I could see console exclusivity being a very real possibility. It's the big picture. More people in your ecosystem, more dlc bought, other games bought, licensed accessories bought, ECT.. all of them bringing in money to offset any loss from game development.
 
dolabla

dolabla

Member
Sony will be fine with their exclusives. Microsoft definitely needed something like this. It's pretty wild to think this actually did just happen though.
 
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anothertech

anothertech

Member
Glad to see Deathloop and Ghostwire still PS exclusive.

But RIP Starfield. Dammit.

If they scalebound Starfield I will shit bricks.
 
A

AnotherDayAnotherDollar

Banned
Kerotan said:
Sony have €30BN in cash and that's growing rapidly thanks to playstation. They absolutely could buy a publisher. Take Two and Capcom make the most sense.

And I couldn't see Sony stopping them from making multiplatform games. MLB is multiplatform so call take two's sports titles would be too along with WWE. And not continuing monster hunter on Nintendo platforms would be throwing away money.
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Companies usually don't make multi billion dollar acquisitions using cash. Sony would use credit since they have good rating from Moodys and S&P.

Only reason MLB The Show is multiplatform is because MLB reached a deal with Sony where Sony SD is the only company making MLB games now. In order to do so they'd have to release the game on other platforms.
 
R

R3claimer117

Member
anothertech said:
Glad to see Deathloop and Ghostwire still PS exclusive.

But RIP Starfield. Dammit.

If they scalebound Starfield I will shit bricks.
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Why would you be glad to see this if there are sequels they won’t be on PlayStation. I’m trying to understand the logic behind wanting games to be locked up for any amount of time when it’s on PlayStation but then port beg when it’s the reverse.
 
Bartski

Bartski

Gold Member
Lo6mXYm.jpg
 
TheAmazingSpiderMan

TheAmazingSpiderMan

Member
BlackM1st said:
Man, it's an impressive list of quality games, BUT non of them is worth 7 billions. That's the point.

Financially wise Zenimax should be happy hah.

MS can be happy too, they got some big names.

I'm personally interested only in TES, less in Fall and even less in DooM. That's it 4 me.
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ah yes, finally someone with some common sense.

This is exactly what I meant from my post that was quoted by the user you’re replying to.

Only thing worrying now is if both Sony and MS decide to buy up everyone, 1 by 1, what does that mean for the future?? 🤷🏽‍♂️
 
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Megatron

Megatron

Member
dyergram said:
I don’t feel optimistic about how this will turn out based on rare lionhead 343 and bungie but happy to be proven wrong.
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I imagine you felt the same way about Sony buying Insomniac after Zipper, Evolution, Incognito, Lightbox, Superbot, SCE Studio Liverpool, etc, right?

And Bungie is on your list?? Lol. Did you happen to notice how Bungie’s games turned to shit right after they left MS?
 
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mekes

mekes

Member
I stopped buying Xbox consoles because I didn’t like their first party line up. This news actually goes some way in changing that for me. It’s just TES and The Evil Within (if a sequel ever comes) but they are different experiences for MS first party releases. I honestly have my eye on them now.

Obviously it’s not as great when you think that playing these titles will now cost hundreds extra instead of the price of a game. But that is what it is. Microsoft needed some added mindshare for its lineup, I don’t begrudge them the acquisition (much).
 
junguler

junguler

Banned
this news is big deal but doesn't effect me in any way, i don't play first person games anymore and they seem to be developing most/all their games in first person, even the games that have third person in them are mainly first person games that happen to have third person too.
 
anothertech

anothertech

Member
ToxicPhantom said:
Well that’s because those contracts were already set before the acquisition. Anything after those releases, Sony fans should be worried. Same situation as The Outer Worlds.
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R3claimer117 said:
Why would you be glad to see this if there are sequels they won’t be on PlayStation. I’m trying to understand the logic behind wanting games to be locked up for any amount of time when it’s on PlayStation but then port beg when it’s the reverse.
Click to expand...

Tbh, I'm kinda excited for some competition between consoles exclusive wise. Keeping Sony on their toes is a good thing. This is huge for them.

Though I'm still pissed and worried about MS handling shit like phantom dust and scalebound.
 
Ogbert

Ogbert

Member
All silly fanboy stuff aside, this is an astonishing change in the videogame market.

It's not actually the games that will challenge Sony. They will continue to make fantastic first party titles. It's the price of those games. Within a few years, MS is going to have so many good games on their subscription service that the idea of paying a high price for a single title will seem old hat. Sony will become too expensive.

Clever bastard that Phil Spencer. I think he's backed the right horse.
 
-Arcadia-

-Arcadia-

Banned
Bartski said:
Lo6mXYm.jpg
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Other than I don’t know why anyone would ever tout 343 Industries, instead of throwing them in the fine print at the bottom of the page, that is really, really impressive.

It’s going to take time for that to kick in, of course, but if Xbox can ride out the no or less exclusives years, they have a very bright future. Reminds me of original Xbox and 360 Microsoft, where they were a first party titan.
 
DunDunDunpachi

DunDunDunpachi

Banned
Ogbert said:
All silly fanboy stuff aside, this is an astonishing change in the videogame market.

It's not actually the games that will challenge Sony. They will continue to make fantastic first party titles. It's the price of those games. Within a few years, MS is going to have so many good games on their subscription service that the idea of paying a high price for a single title will seem old hat. Sony will become too expensive.

Clever bastard that Phil Spencer. I think he's backed the right horse.
Click to expand...
And we'll see quality tank just like it did on Netflix and on mobile phones.

Racing to the bottom dollar is not a race I want to participate in, especially when it means the death of singular gaming experiences. Microsoft is still locking down game ownership like they wanted to with Xbox One, just approaching it a different way.

Meanwhile, I wonder what non-Game Pass companies will think. Microsoft is replicating the "Nintendo first party problem" by making Game Pass so cheap in comparison to a regular game release, third parties won't have a prayer on Microsoft's store. I think that's the point, though. Join the subscription or face obscurity.
 
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McCarth

McCarth

Member
Ogbert said:
All silly fanboy stuff aside, this is an astonishing change in the videogame market.

It's not actually the games that will challenge Sony. They will continue to make fantastic first party titles. It's the price of those games. Within a few years, MS is going to have so many good games on their subscription service that the idea of paying a high price for a single title will seem old hat. Sony will become too expensive.

Clever bastard that Phil Spencer. I think he's backed the right horse.
Click to expand...
Until MS reveals the average revenue per subscriber for GP I don't buy its long term viability for a second. A constant stream of big budget games hitting the service is going to require a significant ARPS increase.

Let's not kid ourselves about the vast percentage of their subscriber base still averaging insanely low costs per month on the backs of all those insane deals they always have going.
 
fersnake

fersnake

Member
because Phil said :

“As a player, you are the centre of our strategy,” Spencer stated. “Our device is not the centre of our strategy, our game is not the centre of the strategy. We want to enable you to play the games you want to play, with the friends you want to play with, on any device.”

we are still waiting Halo on ps5 :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
Bartski

Bartski

Gold Member
Ghost Wire looks cool and all, but since Microsoft sure wants a diverse portfolio to stand against the "Sony formula" I really hope this means possible Evil Within 3 in coming years
 
ToxicPhantom

ToxicPhantom

Member
Here we go with the "GamePass is not viable, even with all those studios" comments. :pie_eyeroll: Get over it already.

Whether the service is variable or not, that is NOT my concern, that's MS' concern. I'm more concerned with enjoying the games that are going to be released by all these 23 studios.
 
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Ogbert

Ogbert

Member
DunDunDunpachi said:
And we'll see quality tank just like it did on Netflix and on mobile phones.
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That is definitely the risk.

The problem MS will have is how to keep the stock of Gamepass titles fresh and relevant. I imagine they want Halo Infinite to be the block buster title that keeps players on their platform for how ever many years, and then they have a steady stream of AAA games (one a month, one every two months), that supplement their main IPs.

You're definitely right though. Some of the games will be shit. Crackdown, for example, was pitiful.
 
A

Aguero9320

Member
Whichever side you’re on you have to agree the ‘no games’ narrative sounds ridiculous now. Anyone still thinking about saying it, just don’t... Try ‘yeah but not for two years’ instead - that will see you through, for a little while at least, and you can maintain some semblance of dignity.

Also perhaps pretend you don’t like any of the games, that might work too for a while. Although it’s a little unbelievable given the variety level now, but you could give it a shot?

23 Microsoft Studios. Twenty fucking three. Just wow.

Have to tip your hat to that... Not your moneyhat, an actual hat :messenger_grinning_squinting:
 
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D

Darak

Member
They need to bring Carmack back to iD (he has already shown interest in Twitter) and build and engine they could share with all the other first parties.
 
DunDunDunpachi

DunDunDunpachi

Banned
Ogbert said:
That is definitely the risk.

The problem MS will have is how to keep the stock of Gamepass titles fresh and relevant. I imagine they want Halo Infinite to be the block buster title that keeps players on their platform for how ever many years, and then they have a steady stream of AAA games (one a month, one every two months), that supplement their main IPs.

You're definitely right though. Some of the games will be shit. Crackdown, for example, was pitiful.
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My gripe isn't an inditement against Microsoft itself because we see the same issue with Sony, Blizzard, and even Origin Systems (back in the day). I think the business model itself is bad and will result in a drop in quality. We are currently enjoying the "loss leader strategy" of Game Pass but the clock is ticking. Not even Microsoft's money is infinite. At a certain point, they will buckle and the service will either be compromised or Microsoft will have to put the service on more platforms to rake in more subscriptions.

I think the latter is exactly their plan. They want to harvest data like Google.
 
N

Nerd Strangler

Banned
fersnake said:
because Phil said :

“As a player, you are the centre of our strategy,” Spencer stated. “Our device is not the centre of our strategy, our game is not the centre of the strategy. We want to enable you to play the games you want to play, with the friends you want to play with, on any device.”

we are still waiting Halo on ps5 :messenger_tears_of_joy:
Click to expand...

Seems like they may be working on it.

I don't know if they will make bethesda games exclusive, but if they do that would be my guess as to why... to try to force Sony to allow xcloud on PS5.
 
C

Coney

Member
Microsoft will use Sony's consumers to buy the games full price while they're included in Gamepass to make up revenue. Genius really.
 
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Ogbert

Ogbert

Member
DunDunDunpachi said:
Not even Microsoft's money is infinite.
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I don't think it will necessarily be finances that cause problems. MS' reserves are absurd. I think it will be personnel. Whatever one's opinion of Spencer, I do honestly believe he wants to make Gamepass the most attractive platform with the best games. What will be difficult is when MS wins back market share and he moves on. Under the wrong management, a service like Gamepass really could serve up crap.

And yes, fully agree on their wanting to put it on as many devices as possible. Wouldn't bet against gamepass ending up on the Switch in some capacity.
 
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